For years, the question of whether purchasing a MacBook was worth it for students came down to a single, uncomfortable factor: the price.
Apple is an industry leader in the laptop market, generating close to 54 per cent of the total market revenue for Amazon US in January of 2026. So, it comes as no surprise that their products are, without exception, expensive.
The MacBook Neo, which was released on March 11, is Apple’s clearest attempt to change that conversation, with models starting at $799 CAD and $679 CAD with education pricing.
As Apple’s newest entry-level laptop, MacBook Neo is designed to deliver a full macOS experience at a significantly lower price than previous models. It features Apple’s classic 13-inch Liquid Retina display, a lightweight aluminum design, and, for those with a flair for aesthetics, comes in four new colours: Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo.
Powered by their A18 Pro chip, which is the same chip as in the iPhone 16 series, the laptop claims to offer a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU. For users, this means a laptop that does everyday tasks and makes web browsing 50 per cent faster.
Battery life is another standout feature of the MacBook Neo. Using their lithium-ion battery, it boasts 16 hours of video streaming and 11 hours of wireless web browsing, so you don’t have to carry your charger on campus. Since it weighs around 2.7 pounds, it’s also easy to carry everywhere.
However, the budget option comes with its own limitations, with the ports being the laptop’s most glaring compromise.
Two USB-C ports, one USB-3, one USB-2, and a headphone jack’s the laptop’s full connectivity package. There’s no MagSafe, no SD card slot, and external display output is limited to the left port only. If you’re used to connecting a wired mouse and keyboard or using an HDMI cable to connect to external display options, you’ll immediately feel the pinch.
While the base model comes with eight gigabytes (GB) of memory, which is sufficient for typical workloads, this laptop could struggle with specialized software or heavy multitasking. So, if you render graphics, code, or edit long videos on your laptop, MacBook Neo will probably not be the right fit for you.
Another point of concern for users could be the physical storage the laptop offers. The base model of the MacBook Neo offers 256 GB of storage, but with a heavy course load and finals season, that could fill up quickly. An option with 512 gigabytes of storage does exist, but it’s a $200 upcharge and starts at $999.
It’s important to note that the base 256 GB-model also comes without a backlit keyboard, which means it’s way harder to work at night, and lacks Touch ID, and surprise surprise, there’s no option to add either of those features for an additional charge.
You can, however, buy the 512 GB-model with Touch ID. But, for people like myself who use Touch ID to log in to their devices, websites, grant access to services, and even pay using Apple Pay, losing it’s a detriment.
The limited storage and memory options raise questions about its longevity, and if you’re looking for a laptop that will last you throughout university, it might be wise to reconsider.
With that said, MacBook Neo might be the right fit for you if you’re looking for a reliable, lightweight option at an affordable price point.
Tags
Apple, Expensive, MacBook, Review, Technology
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